Counterpressure filling system



Dec. 18, 1962 R. JACOBS 3,

COUNTERPRESSURE FILLING SYSTEM Filed June 16. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I ROBERT L. JACOBS 3:: E

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ATTORNEYS R. L. JACOBS COUNTERPRESSURE FILLING SYSTEM Dec. 18, 1962 Filed Jun 16. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ROBERT L.

JACOBS BY 5- .3- M J ATTORNEYS COUNTERPRESSURE FILLING SYSTEM Filed June 16, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q3 3 m N N N-/,

1, 1 m Lg] g 2 E 8 3 3S "INVENTOR. Q 2 ROBERT 1.. JACOBS A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3 068 910 COUNTERPRESSlJRli FILLING SYSTEM Robert L. Jacobs, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to The Coca- Cola Company, Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 16, 1959, Ser. No. 820,649 7 Claims. (Cl. Lil-40) This invention relates to counterpressure filling systems, and more particularly to apparatus for the counterpressure filling of a plurality of containers with a carbonated beverage or other liquid under pressure.

The apparatus disclosed in this application is especially adapted for the counterpressure filling of normally closed tanks or sealed containers with a carbonated beverage. One form of tank or container of this type employed especially in the soft drink industry consists of a steel tank having two normally closed valve fittings. Each fitting includes an outwardly seating one way check valve so that the container may be charged with gas or liquid under pressure. In the usual case, a number of tanks to be filled are loaded upon a pallet and transferred to and from the filling machine upon the pallet.

conventionally, machines for performing the filling operation are provided with two flexible conduits for each container to be filled. Sanitary quick disconnect couplings on the conduits are connected to the respective.

tank fittings. One conduit is connected to the tank to conduct the beverage into the tank while the other conduit is connected to a source of counterpressure gas. During the filling operation, counterpressure gas is maintained at a predetermined pressure above the surface of the beverage flowing into the tank to prevent foaming.

Each pallet load of tanks to be filled may consist of approximately 16 tanks, and since two conduits must be connected to each tank this means the machine operator must connect 32 conduits before the filling operation and disconnect 32 conduits after the filling operation is completed. In such cases, the filling apparatus will have a sufficient capacity of beverage to till a complete pallet load of tanks at one time.

Heretofore, filling machines of the type with which the invention is concerned have been of quite complex construction. Complexity of construction is disadvantageous not only from the standpoint of relatively high first cost and operational maintenance, but also from the sanitation standpoint. Sanitation standards for machines of this type are extremely high and public health control agencies usually require that such machines be completely sanitized both before and after use. For eificient sanitizing, it is desirable that the number of parts and fittings of the machine be reduced to a minimum and that the various fittings and conduits be quickly'and easily detachable, preferably with the employment of a minimum number of tools, and be capable of being flushed out and subjected to extremely hot water, live steam, cleansing compounds, etc.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved counterpressure filling system for filling one or more containers with carbonated beverage or other liquid under pressure at a relatively rapid rate without foaming.

It is another object of the present invention toprovide such a system wherein each container has only a single conduit connected thereto through which both counterpressure gas and carbonated beverage or other liquid flow into the container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a system wherein a substantially uniform counterpressure is maintained in each of a group of containers being filled simultaneously.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a system wherein each container has means thereon 3,fifi8,910 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 "ice operative to stop flow into the container when the container is filled to a predetermined extent.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a system which is made up of a relatively small number of parts considering the number oficontainers which may be filled at one time, and in which parts of the system may be sanitized readily.

it is still another object of the present invention to provide new and improved apparatus for use in such a system whereby counterpressure gas and carbonated beverage or other liquid may be fed successively, and readily, to one or more containers to be filled.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide new and improved apparatus for use in such a system whereby each container is vented at a predetermined rate while it is being filled.

Briefly described, a preferred embodiment of a counterpressure filling system according to the present invention has, as its principal components, filling apparatus, the container being filled, and venting apparatus. The filling apparatus includes a pressure vessel, a source of carbonated beverage under pressure, and a source of counterpressure gas. In using the term beverage, it is to be understood that this is intended to cover any other liquid which has substantially the same tendency to foam as does carbonated beverage when the liquid is being discharged into a container.

The beverage source is connected to the pressure vessel through a conduit provided with a beverage control valve which is controlled by a piston normally biased by a spring to a position where the beverage control valve is open. The source of counterpressure gas is connected to the pressure vessel through a manually actuated gas control valve which includes an inlet connected to the gas source, an outlet connected to the pressure vessel, and a venting passage. The outlet of the gas control valve is also connected to the beverage control valve operating piston so that, when the gas control valve is positioned to connect the gas source to the pressure vessel, gas under pressure is likewise applied against the piston to move the beverage control valve to its closed position.

The pressure vessel has a plurality of individual conduits extending therefrom, there being a conduit for each container to be filled. Each container has a pair of fittings thereon, and the conduit coming from the pressure vessel is connected to one of the fittings by means of a sanitary'quick disconnect coupling. A venting valve assembly is connected to the other fitting, also by a sanitary quick disconnect coupling.

The venting assembly includes, at its upper end portion, a restricted orifice which operates to vent gas from a container at a predetermined rate. A float valve, located within the vent assembly, does not block flow of counterpressure gas through the vent assembly while the container is being filled. However, when the container is filled, the carbonated beverage flows into a passage of the vent assembly and lifts the float valve causing it to seat against the passage outlet and prevent the beverage from escaping from the container.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of apparatus for filling containers with carbonated beverage embodying the invention, certain parts being broken away or omitted, and other parts being shown schematically;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with certain parts omitted or broken away to show details of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a detail view, partially in section, of the gas pressure supply control valve;

FIG. 4 is a detail view, partially in section, of a one Way check valve connected in the gas supply line to the pressure vessel;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the carbonated beverage supply control valve;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the venting valve assembly employed during the filling of a container;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a portion of the valve assembly shown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a detail view, partially schematic and partially in cross-section, of a modification of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

General Description Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, apparatus embodying the invention includes a filler bowl or pressure vessel 10 which is supported upon a suitable fixed frame assembly designated generally 12. A plurality of outlet conduits 14 are detachably connected at one end to the lower portion of filler bowl 10 and may be detachably connected to product tanks or containers 16 which are to be filled with carbonated beverage. Conduits 14 conduct both counterpressure gas and carbonated beverage from filler bowl 10 to the product tanks. When carbonated beverage is flowing into the product tank, counterpressure gas is vented from the tank at a controlled rate by venting valve assemblies 17 directly attached to the individual tanks.

Carbon dioxide gas under pressure is supplied to filler bowl 111 from a suitable source schematically shown at 18 (FIG. 1) which is connected by a conduit 20 to the inlet 22 of a manually controlled valve designated generally 24. The outlet 26 of valve 24 is connected to filler bowl 16 through a conduit 28, T-fitting 38, conduit 32 and a one way check valve 34 which is oriented to permit how of gas into filler bowl 119 but prevents flow of gas out of filler bowl 111 into conduit 32.

Pre-mixed carbonated beverage is supplied to filler bowl 110 from a source schematically shown in FIG. 1 at 36 which is connected by a conduit 38 to the inlet 40 of a pressure operated valve designated generally 42. Conduit 44 directly connects the outlet of valve 42 to the interior of filler bowl 10. Valve 42 is controlled by a piston mounted within housing 46 and the piston in turn is operated by gas under pressure from the carbon dioxide gas source 18 which is conducted into housing 46 through conduit 48 connected between T-fitting 38 and housing 46.

For convenience in supporting the plurality of outlet conduit 14, each of the conduits is clamped as at 58 (see FIG. 2) to a bracket 52 which includes an inner member 54 slideably received on four rods 56 bolted to fixed frame 12 as at 58. Compression springs 68 normally urge bracket 52 upwardly and the bracket may be shifted and locked in any desired position upon rods 56 as by clamp assemblies 62.

Pressure gauges 64 and 66 of conventional construction are respectively connected to conduit 28 and filler bowl 1%. A pressure relief valve 68 is connected to filler bowl 10 to release excess pressure from the filler bowl. A valve 69 is connected to a dip tube within pressure vessel 18 for the purpose of sampling the beverage. A normally closed drain cock "'0 is connected in the bottom of fiiler bowl 163 to drain the filler bowl as for cleaning purposes.

Colmterpressure Gas Control Apparatus Details of the manually controlled gas supply valve 24 are best shown in FEG. 3. Valve 24 includes a generally cylindrical housing '72 which is constructed with a central bore 74 which is intersected at axially spaced locations by inlet passage 76 and outlet passage 78. A valve sleeve 79 is slideably received within bore 74 and is formed with a central chamber 817 closed at one end by a stop screw 82 and at the other end by operating knob 84.

Valve 24 is a three-position valve and is shown in FIG. 3 in its mid-position wherein bore 74 is sealed on opposite sides of outlet passage 78 by ring seals 86 and 88 and inlet passage 76 is located between seal 88 and a third ring seal 99. A plurality of radial openings 92 extend through the wall of sleeve 79, between seals 8 and 90, and, when the valve is shifted from the position shown in FIG. 3 to a position in which a stop ring 94 engages valve housing 72, the openings 92 place inlet 76 in communication with outlet 78. In this position, ring seal 88 will be located in approximately the position occupied by seal 86 in FIG. 3.

In its third position, valve sleeve 79 is manually shifted until the slotted head on stop screw 82 engages the valve housing. At this time, ring seal 86 will be located in approximately the position occupied by ring seal 88 in FIG. 3, thus venting outlet conduit 78 to the atmosphere through a bore 96 in housing 72 and slots 97 in the head of stop screw 82. Inlet conduit 76 is sealed since seals 86 and 88 are respectively located on opposite sides of the inlet passage.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the one Way check valve 34 includes a housing 188 having a central valve chamber 162 within which a valve head 104 is slideably received. Valve head 104 is normally biased toward the inlet end of housing 188 by a compression spring 106 Which normally urges the valve head against the inlet bushing 108 threadably received in the inlet end of housing 100. Valve head 104 is formed with a conical head portion 110 which engages a complementary seat 112 in inlet bushing 18%. Grooves such as 114 extending along the side of head 104 provide communication between inlet passage 116 in inlet bushing 108 and outlet passage 118 in valve body 188 when head 104 is moved away from seat 112 by the pressure of gas entering inlet passage 116. Outlet passage 118 communicates directly with the interior of filler bowl 10.

Carbonated Beverage Control Apparatus Carbonated beverage supply control valve 42 is shown in detail in FIG. 5. Valve 42 includes a valve housing 120 formed with an internal chamber 122 which provides fluid communication between valve inlet passage 124 and valve outlet passage 126. At the inlet end of outlet passage 126, a generally frustro-conical valve seat 128 is formed. A valve head 130 is secured to the end of a piston rod 132 slideably received within housing 46 and fixed to a piston 134 mounted for reciprocation Within an enlarged piston chamber 136 in the interior of housing 46. A resilient sealing ring on piston 134 forms a sliding seal between piston 134 and the wall of chamber 136. A piston return spring 138 normally maintains piston 134 in the position shown in FIG. 5 and thus maintians valve head 130 out of sealing engagement with valve seat 128. When the pressure is applied to the head end of housing 46 through conduit 48 and inlet 140, piston 134 is driven to the left as viewed in FIG. 5 until valve head 130 is located in sealing engagement with seat 128. When valve head 130 is in the last mentioned position, commmunication between valve inlet 124 and outlet 126 is blocked.

Product Tank Connections The product tanks 16, which the present invention is especially designed to fill with carbonated beverage, are customarily provided with two self sealing valve controlled fittings as at 144 and 146. With the exception of a normally closed central closure 148 employed in sanitizing the tank, fittings 144 and 146 provide the only access to the interior of the tank. Each fitting 144 and 146 is similar and may take the form of the male member shown in United States Patent No. 2,823,048, granted on February 11, 1958, to H. I. Hansen.

A male fitting of this type is disclosed in FIG. 6 and includes the housing 159 and the structure enclosed within housing 150. Since the structural details of the male fitting are described in the above-identified Hansen patent, the fitting will not be described in detail other than to note that it includes basically a central passage 152 having a valve seat 154 at its upper end and a valve head 156 normally biased against seat 154 by a spring 158. Housing 150 is formed with a pair of projecting pins 160 to provide a quick disconnect bayonet type coupling with a mating socket fitting. The outlet end of each conduit 14 is provided with a socket fitting 162 which takes the form of the female member disclosed in FIG. 1 of the above-identified Hansen patent.

In FIG. 6, my novel venting valve assembly is shown as including a housing 164 having a coupling sleeve 166 rotatably'supported upon its lower end. A wall extends across the interior of housing 164 to divide the housing into an enlarged diameter lower socket section adapted to receive the upper end of housing 150 and communicating through a plurality of relatively small bores 168 with a central flow passage 170 extending upwardly through the upper portion of housing 164. The lower side of the wall is constructed with a forwardly projecting shank 174 which, when coupling sleeve 166 is engaged with bayonet pins 160, forces valve head 156 of the male fitting away from its seat. When the socket is disconnected from the male fitting, valve head 156 is spring-biased against its seat 154.

The socket fitting 162 connected to the ends of the respective conduits 14 is generally similar to the structure described in the foregoing paragraph and includes a housing similar to housing 164 and a coupling sleeve similar to coupling 166. Fitting 162 is adapted to be connected to the end of a conduit 14 and its internal structure ditfers from housing 164 in that the central wall and projection 174 of housing 164 are replaced in fitting 162 with a spring biased valve and seat similar to the valve 154, 156 and 158 of housing 150. The valve in fitting 162 faces outwardly so that the end of conduit 14 is normally closed by the valve. The valve head in fitting 162 is provided with a projection similar to projection 174 which unseats the valves in both the male and female fittings when fitting 162 is coupled upon a housing 150'.

In some other systems, when product tanks such as the tank 16 are filled with carbonated beverage, the beverage is supplied to the interior of the container through one of fittings 144 and 146 while the other fitting is connected to a carbon dioxide source to maintain a pre-determined counterpressure over the beverage within the tank to prevent undesirable foaming. This practice requires that two conduits be connected to each tank While it is being filled. In order to replace a tank which has been filled with an empty tank to be filled, the operator must disconnect both conduits from the filled tank, move the filled tank to a position clear of the conduits, move the empty tank into position and connect both conduits to the tank. The filling operation must necessarily be interrupted for the entire period of time required to accomplish the replacement.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show details of a novel valve structure for accomplishing a counterpressure filling of a product tank 16requiring the connection of only a single-conduit to each tank to be filled.

This structure consists basically of a venting valve assembly designated generally 17 adapted to vent pressure from the interior of the tank at a controlled rate during the filling operation and to seal the vent when the tank is filled. In order to start the flow of liquid the venting valve assembly is manually attached to the tank after the gas control valve is placed in its vent position. The venting valve assembly may be removed at any time after the tank has been filled and thus while a given tank is being filled, the operator may remove the venting valve assembly from a previously filled tank.

The structure includes a housing 176 which is threaded onto the outlet end of socket housing 164. A flare washer 178 is sealingly engaged between an internal shoulder 180 in housing 176 and the upper end of housing 164 to seal the joint between the two housings. A central passage 182 extends through washer 178 and a float ball 184 of a diameter greater than the diameter of passage 182 and passage 192 is located within a chamber 186 in housing 176 above washer 178. A passage 188 having a conical seat 190 at the upper end of chamber 186 and a reduced diameter section 192, extends upwardly from chamber 186 to the upper end of housing 176. An orifice plate 194, having an orifice 196, overlies the upper end of passage 188 and is held in position upon housing 17 6 by a retaining cap 198 having a central opening 288 aligned with orifice 196 and passage 188.

Operation To place the system in operation, the operator positions sleeve 79 of manually controlled valve 24 in its extreme inward position at which flange 94 abuts housing 72. This places conduit 20, connected to gas source 18, in communication with conduit 28 through radial bores 92 in valve sleeve 79 and chamber within the valve sleeve. Carbon dioxide gas under pressure flows from source 18 through conduit 28 and through fitting 30 into conduit 48 and thence into the head end of chamber 136 of valve 42 to drive piston 134 to the left, as viewed in FIG. 5, until the valve head is seated upon its seat 128. This action isolates carbonated beverage source 36 from the interior of filler bowl 10 by blocking communication between conduit 38 and bowl inlet 44.

Carbon dioxide gas under pressure also passes from conduit 28 through conduit 32 and thence through one "way check valt e 34 into the interior of filler bowl 10.

While pressure is building up in filler bowl 10, the operator connects the various conduits 14 to the product tanks 16 to be filled.

As each conduit 14 is connected to a product tank, the socket connection 162 at the end of a conduit unseats the check valve on the associated fitting of the tank to place the interior of the product tank in communication with the filler bowl. Thus, gas under pressure passes from the interior of filler bowl 10 into the product tank 16.

Pressure builds up in each of the product tanks 16 connected to the filler bowl and in the filler bowl itself. When a pre-determined counterpressure is achieved within the tanks and filler bowl as indicated on gauge 66, the operator shifts sleeve 79 of manually controlled valve 24 to its fully extended position at which the slotted head on stop screw 82 engages housing 72. In this position, the inlet to valve 24 is sealed while conduit 28 is vented to the atmosphere through passage 78, chamber 74 and vent opening 96. This position of the valve vents conduit 28, conduit 48, and conduit 32 between one Way check valve 34 and fitting 30. Upon the venting of conduit 32, one way check valve 34 is driven to its seat, thus preventing the escape of gas under pressure from the interior of filler bowl 10 and the product tanks connected to the filler bowl.

When conduit 48 is vented, piston 134 is driven to the position shown in FIG. 5 by return spring 138, thus moving valve head 138 away from its seat 128. This places the source of, carbonated beverage under pressure 36 in communication with the interior of filler bowl 10. The pressure applied to the carbonated beverage within source 36 slightly exceeds the gas'counterpressure existing at the time the operator shifted valve 24 to cut ofi the supply of gas under pressure, and hence beverage flows from source 36 into the interior of bowl 18 and thence through the conduits 14 to the variousproduct tanks 16.

In order to completely fill the tanks, the beverage must displace the counterpressure gas with which the tanks were previously charged. In order to permit this displacement, a venting valve 17 is'attached to the plug 144 of each tank.

Counterpressure gas escapes from the interior of the product tank at a controlled rate through the venting orifice 196. The diameter of orifice 196 is selected to maintain a pie-determined counterpressure of carbon dioxide gas above the surface of the beverage entering the product tank to prevent foaming while at the same time permitting the counterpressure gas to be vented from the container at a rate which permits the container to be filled quite rapidly.

The diameter of orifice 196 is of importance since if the orifice is too large counterpressure gas will escape too rapidly, permitting undesirable foaming of the beverage within the container and causing the tank to over-fill beyond the stated volume. If the opening is too small, the counterpressure gas escapes too slowly from the container, thus greatly extending the time of the filling operation. Preferably, the diameter of the orifice 196 should be about .025 inch when filling tanks with a beverage containing 3 /2 volumes of CO gas in solution at a beverage temperature of 35 F. and a counterpressure of two pounds p.s.i. gauge less than the beverage pressure, since experimentation has shown that an orifice of this size will maintain a satisfactory counterpressure above such a liquid entering the tank to prevent foaming and over-filling, while at the same time permitting the tank to be filled quite rapidly. It is to be understood that if beverage pressure, beverage temperature or counterpressure is varied, or a more rapid or slower fill time is desired, the size of the orifice must be varied accordingly.

The mass of fioat ball 184 is likewise chosen so that it is easily unseated by the escaping gas but is driven to seat 190 at the inlet of passage 192 only when carbonated beverage flows upwardly into chamber 186.

As the liquid level rises to the top of the tank 16, the dome shaped upper surface of the product tank permits the liquid level to rise above the inlet to the tank fitting, thus trapping a small volume of counterpressure gas within the container. Liquid then passes upwardly through the interior of fitting housing 159 through openings 168 of housing 164 into chamber 170 and through passage 182 of washer 178 into chamber 186. Ball 184 floats on the surface of the liquid and is eventually forced to the upper portion of chamber 186 to seat against seat 1%, the inlet of passage 192, thus sealing the venting outlet of the container. The pressure within the product tank 16 builds up until it reaches a value suificient to prevent the entrance of more beverage into the container.

The operator then disconnects conduit 14 from the filled container. This action causes the one way check valve in the fitting to which the conduit socket 162 was connected to seat as the socket is disconnected. Conduit socket 162 is similarly sealed by the disconnecting step. When the venting valve assembly is disconnected from the other fitting, a similar action occurs, thus maintaining the pressure within the filled container.

As shown in FIG. 2, conventionally the containers are filled in groups. When all containers are filled, the operator shifts manually controlled valve 24 back to the position in which conduit 28 is placed in communication with gas source 18. As described above, this action closes pressure operated valve 42 to block communication between the source of carbonated beverage under pressure and filler bowl it Some beverage will be trapped within filler bowl 18 by this action, however, the beverage cannot escape through conduits 14- because of the automatic closing of the one way check valves in each of sockets 162 as they were disconnected from the product tanks.

A second group of product tanks are then connected to the respective conduits 14. When the second group of product tanks 16 are connected to the conduits 14, the small amount of liquid remaining in filler bowl 18 from the previous filling operation will be conducted into the second group of product tanks. However, since gas under pressure is being supplied to the interior of filler bowl 10, counter-pressure is quickly built up over the relatively small amount of beverage which enters the product tanks during this portion of the operation.

The foregoing sequence of operations is again repeated.

In the previously described system, pressure gauge 6 was observed by the operator to indicate the achievement of the desired counterpressure within filler bowl 1% and product tanks 16. In FIG. 8, structure is disclosed for eliminating the necessity of constantly observing gauge 66. This structure includes a pressure operated switch designated generally 202 mounted upon filler bowl 16 to be actuated in accordance with the pressure within filler bowl 10 and a solenoid controlled valve 224 connected between the one way check valve 34 and bowl 10. Switch 282 includes a piston 2G6 mounted in slideable sealed relationship against the inner wall of a piston chamber 288 connected by inlet passage 210 to the interior of filler bowl 18-. A compression spring 212 normally biases piston 2% toward inlet 230, spring 212 being maintained in compression between the upper face of the piston and an adjustable abutment 214 threadably received within the piston housing. By adjusting abutment 214 the compressive force of spring 212, and hence the pressure required to remove piston 206 a selected distance upwardly may be regulated.

A schematically illustrated switch blade 216 is mechanically connected to the rod 218 of piston 286 to normally complete a circuit through electrical power supply lines L1 and L2. The solenoid coil 229 of valve 284- is connected in series in lines L1 and L2 and is operable, when energized through switch blade 216, to maintain the solenoid armature 222 in the elevated position shown in FIG. 8. When armature 222 is in the position shown in FIG. 8, an inlet passage 224 communicates with an outlet passage 226 through the chamber 228.

The lower end of armature 222 is provided with a sealing member 230 which is driven into sealing engagement with an elevated annular seat 232 surrounding the outlet end of inlet passage 224 when solenoid 220 is de-energized. gzcompression spring 234 biases seal 238 against seat Operation of the embodiment of FIG. 8 is generally similar to the operation described above in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2. As in the previous case, the cycle of operation is started by the manual shifting of valve 24 to the position to supply gas under pressure from source 18 to filler bowl 10. Since the pressure within filler bowl 10 at this time is below the desired counterpressure, piston 206 will be spring biased into the position shown in FIG. 8, and switch blade 216 will complete a circuit from supply line L1 to supply line L2. Solenoid coil 220 will thus be energized to maintain armature 222 in the elevated position shown in FIG. 8, and thus permit gas under pressure to flow from conduit 32 through one way check valve 34 into the interior of filler bowl 10. When the desired counterpressure is achieved Within filler bowl 10, piston 206 will be driven upwardly a sufficient distance to shift switch blade 216 and break the circuit between the lines L1 and L2. This action deenergizes solenoid 220 and permits spring 234 to drive armature 222 downwardly to seat seal 23!) on seat 232 and thus block communication between inlet 224- and outlet 226. Preferably, an indicator lamp 236 is connected across supply lines L1 and L2 in parallel with coil 220 so the operator will know that the desired counterpressure is reached when lamp 236 goes out.

Manual shifting of valve 24 to commence the fillin operation need not be performed immediately since, if the counterpressure within filler bowl it and the product tank 16 drops, piston 202 will return to the position shown in 8 to again energize solenoid coil 224 and again permit gas to flow from source 18 into filler bowl 1t) and the connected product tanks. Flow of gas out of filler bowl 10 to conduit 32 is prevented by one way check valve 34. Shifting between the counterpressure cycle and the filling cycle is still manually initiated by the operator in the embodiment of FIG. 8. However, it is not necessary for the operator to constantly observe a pressure gauge as in the PEG. 1 embodiment since the desired counterpressure is automatically achieved and maintained. Thus, the operator may perform other tasks.

While I have disclosed and described exemplary embodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiment described above may be modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary rather than limiting, and the true scope of my invention is that defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A counterpressure filling system for filling containers with carbonated beverage comprising: a container to be filled, a pair of normally closed valve controlled fittings on said container operable when closed to seal said container, a conduit, first coupling means on said conduit detachably connecting said conduit to one of said fittings and operable when connected to said one of said fittings to open the valve in the fitting to define an inlet to said container, means operable to successively supply counterpressure gas and carbonated beverage under pressure to said container through said conduit, a venting valve, second coupling means on said venting valve detachably connecting said venting valve to the other of said fittings independently of said first coupling means to open the valve in said other fitting and thereby define an outlet of said container, means in said venting valve defining a passage in communication with said outlet when said venting valve is connected to said other fitting, means defining a restricted outlet orifice in said passage for controlling the rate of flow of gas through said passage, and a float valve in said passage for blocking communication between said outlet and said restricted orifice when carbonated beverage flows from said container into said outlet passage.

2. A counterpressure filling system for simultaneously filling a plurality of containers with carbonated beverage comprising: a pressure vessel, means operable to successively supply counterpressure gas and carbonated beverage under pressure to said pressure vessel, a plurality of normally closed containers to be filled, a plurality of outlet conduits each connected at one end to said pressure vessel, means at the other end of each of said outlet conduits detachably connecting the conduit to a container to be filled, all of said containers being in simultaneous communication with said pressure vessel through their respective outlet conduits whereby said containers simultaneously receive counterpressure gas or carbonated beverage from said pressure vessel, a venting valve detachably mounted on each container to be filled and defining an outlet for venting couriterpressure gas from the container at a controlled rate, and means in each venting valve for closing the outlet of the container on which the valve is mounted when the container is filled with carbonated beverage.

3. For use in a counterpressure filling system for filling containers with carbonated beverage: a pressure vessel, a source of carbonated beverage, a first conduit connecting said beverage source to said pressure vessel, a beverage control valve in said first conduit operable when in an open condition to place said beverage source in communication with said pressure vessel and operable when in a closed condition to block communication between said beverage source and said pressure vessel, an actuating member connected to said beverage control valve for opening and closing said beverage control valve, means biasing said actuator to normally maintain said beverage control valve in one of said conditions, control means coupled to said actuator and operable when supplied with pres-- sure to overcome said biasing means and maintain said beverage control valve in the other of said conditions, a source of counterpressure gas, a second conduit connecting said gas source to said pressure vessel, a counterpressure gas control valve in said second conduit operable in a first position to place said gas source in communication with said pressure vessel and operable in a second position to block communication between said gas source and said pressure vessel, a third conduit connecting said gas control valve to said control means to supply pressure thereto from said gas source when said gas control valve is in one of said positions, and means for connecting said pressure vessel to a container to be filled.

4. For use in a counterpressure filling system for filling containers with carbonated beverage: a pressure vessel, a source of carbonated beverage, a first conduit connecting said beverage source to said pressure vessel, a beverage control valve in said first conduit operable when open to place said beverage source in communication with said pressure vessel and operable when closed to block communication between said beverage source and said pressure vessel, biasing means connected to said beverage control valve to normally maintain said valve open, pressure responsive means connected to said beverage control valve operable when supplied with pressure to close said beverage control valve, a source of counterpressure gas, a gas control valve having an inlet passage, an outlet passage, and a venting passage, a second conduit connecting said gas source to said inlet passage, a third conduit connecting said outlet passage to said pressure vessel, a valve actuator in said gas control valve operable in a first position to seal said venting passage and to connect said inlet passage to said outlet passage and operable in a said second position to seal said inlet passage and to connect said outlet passage to said venting passage, valve means in said third conduit to prevent the escape of counterpressure gas from said pressure vessel when said valve actuator is in said second position, a fourth conduit connected between said pressure responsive means and said third conduit at a location between said gas control valve and said valve means, and means for connecting said pressure vessel to a container to be filled.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said valve means in said third conduit comprises a one way check valve oriented to prevent the flow of gas from said pressure vessel into said third conduit.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said valve means in said third conduit comprises a solenoid controlled valve in said third conduit, means normally energizing said solenoid valve to maintain said valve in an open position, and pressure responsive means on said pressure vessel for de-energizing said solenoid valve to close said solenoid controlled valve when the pressure within said container reaches a pre-determined pressure.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said .valve means in said third conduit comprises a solenoid controlled valve and a one way check valve oriented to prevent the fiow of gas from said pressure vessel into said third conduit, means normally energizing said solenoid valve to maintain said valve in an open position, and pressure responsive means on said pressure vessel for de-energizing said solenoid valve to close said solenoid controlled valve when the pressure within said container reaches a predetermined pressure.

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